Collapsible charging apparatus for football practice



Feb. 22, 1966 a. LEMONICK COLLAPSIBLE CHARGING APPARATUS FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE Filed March 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

m n W m m 0 m W m M n f 6 Y B A w w 4W! 5 m n 3 m2 4 1966 B. LEMONICK COLLAPSIBLE CHARGING APPARATUS FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1960 III/I'I/IIIII INVENTOR. Bernard Lemon/Ck Af/omey Feb. 22, 1966 B. LEMONICK COLLAPSIBLE CHARGING APPARATUS FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE Filed March 22, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT0R.I Ber/70rd Lemon/6A U241; w M

A ffomey United States Patent 3,236,101 CGLLAPSIBLE CHARGING APPARATUS FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE Bernard Lemonick, 1921-A Humphrey Merry Way, Elkins Park, Pa. Filed Mar. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 16,814 11 Claims. (Cl. 73-379) This invention relates to athletic training apparatus and more especially to training apparatus for use in contact sports such as football and the like. The invention par-' ticularly relates to apparatus of this type for receiving and yieldably resisting the impact of the trainee exerted in a generally horizontal direction.

In sports such as football it is necessary to train the players to develop the skill of charging the opponents line both offensively and defensively, and particularly of charging the individual opponent player. The requirements for skillful charging involve a number of specific postures, movements and maneuvers beginning with an initial stance in which among other elements of posture the body should be kept low with the back straight but at a small angle with respect to the ground and the shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage. There are recognized rules for movement from the initial stance, usually at a given signal, among others that in this movement the player remains low with his body almost parallel to the ground, the head being aimed generally at the level midway of the opponents body but so that upon contact the head llTlOVS by the side of the opponent, thereby to drive the shoulder of the charging player and his forearm against the opponent with somewhat upwardly directed force and with substantial shock to throw the opponent off balance. Machines suitable for training players in football and contact sports utilizing such charging movements should simulate the opponent and provide for contact of the trainee with an impact member of the machine in a manner which is similar to the engagement of the actual opponent on the field.

In the season it is possible to carry on squad practice of the required skills including that of generally horizontal charging by the player. In the off season, however, such practice on the field is not possible or is inconvenient. Contact sports such as football require long contact conditioning and it is desirable that this conditioning and the training of the players in the skills required shall be continued in the oflf season as well as in the season itself and that apparatus be provided which may be used by the individual player or trainee to simulate the reactions and forces which he will meet in playing the game on the field, so that practice under such simulated conditions may be carried on before, during and after the playing season.

It has been pro-posed heretofore to construct apparatus serving this general purpose. Such apparatus has utilized contact members intended to represent the opponent, in some cases being mobile so as to slide over the ground upon contact by the trainee. Other devices designed for use in fixed locations have been of excessive size and not of such construction as to be adapted for rigid immovable support of the impact receiving and resistance members both in the gymnasium as Well as on the field. Some of the prior art devices have not been suitable for use as fixed impact means in connection with ground or floor layouts of course line patterns serving to groove the trainess in specific techniques. Moreover, these prior devices have not provided for readily collapsing the structure to dispose it in an out of operation position as, for example, against the wall of the gymnasium, and for easily restoring it to operating position when desired. They also have been constructed with insufficient regard 3,236,101 Patented Feb. 22, 1956 to the safety of the trainee and avoidance of possible injury upon engagement With the supporting structure and have not been designed for simplicity of maintenance as well as meeting the basic training needs of the game.

It is an object of the invention to provide a training apparatus for a trainee for football or the like which may be set up easily in connection with a rigid support.

It is another object of the invention to provide training apparatus of this type which may be constructed as a unit adapted to be secured to a rigid support provided on the field or in the gymnasium.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a training apparatus for these purposes which may be collapsed to a compact arrangement for transportation but particularly for disposition against a wall or similar support when not in use.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an apparatus in which certain parts may be disconnected and connected at will without removal of these parts from the apparatus to provide for collapsing and for outof-use disposition.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this type which is light and simple of construction but, when the parts are connected together in the operating position, is strong and adapted to receive the shock of the trainee charging the apparatus in the manner required for training in the sport.

It is still another object of the invention to provide in an apparatus of this type a metering device which will properly measure the impact of the trainee for gauging the effectiveness of his charge and with continued practice indicate the measure of his progress and his maximum effort.

In the attainment of these objects the apparatus of the invention provides a truss which comprises two truss members which extend in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from ends that are disposed adjacent a common point, this common point being disposed outwardly with respect to a rigid support. The other ends of these two truss members respectively are connected to the rigid support at points that are vertically spaced a substantial distance apart, so that the truss members form a truss with rigid support. This rigid support may be provided, for example, by a wall which may be a wall of the playing field or of the gymnasium, or this rigid support may be a column, post or similar member rigidly secured at its base against horizontal displacement or movement out of the vertical position. Although the two truss members may be connected directly to this rigid support, preferably they are connected to an upright member so as to form with this upright member a unitary truss structure, this upright member being adapted to be attached to the rigid support.

The two truss members and the rigid support or the upright member, therefore, constitute a truss in which the ends of the truss members which are connected together adjacent the common point are disposed outwardly from the upright member or from the rigid support and at a level between the levels of the two points of connection of the other ends of these truss members to the upright member or to the rigid support. The impact receiving means, further described hereinafter, is required to be disposed for the purposes of football training at a level which is at or somewhat below the level of the waist f the average player. That is to say, that the level of contact of the shoulder of the trainee with the impact means ordinarily will be about 26 inches to 28 inches above the ground. The common point of connection of the truss members also may be disposed at or adjacent the level of the impact receiving means.

The impact is transferred to the truss and to the upright member or the rigid support through other members of the structure which will be described in such a manner that a large part of the force is brought upon the point of common connection of the inclined truss members at the apex of the truss, so that the two inclined truss members are subjected to compressive stress which is transferred by these members to the upright member and to the rigid support. In some cases, however, the apparatus may be constructed to include the truss as described but the common point of connection of the truss members may be disposed at a somewhat higher level than the impact receiving means, or at a lower level.

The contour of the impact receiving means, having regard to the level at which it is supported and in View also of padding which it carries, is such as to simulate the part of the body of the opponent which the player or trainee is required to engage in the charge. Padded means also are supported adjacent the padded impact receiving means for engaging the forearm of the trainee at the same side of the body as the shoulder which he uses to drive against the impact means, thus to aid in developing his charging power and blocking surface.

In order properly to resist the impact of the charge of the trainee, as well as to secure a measurement of this charge, the apparatus provides resilient means which are connected to the impact receiving means and to the truss. This resilient means preferably is in the form of a spring the deformation of which is greater and less according as the impact of the charge is greater or less, a prime horizontal component of the charge being transferred to the truss at its apex. The metering device above mentioned is actuated by the resilient means to indicate the deformation and therefore the impact.

In the structure of the invention, however, the means supporting the impact receiving means may include a thrust receiving member which extends generally horizontally outwardly in the direction toward the impact receiving means from the upright member or from the rigid support. This thrust member may be constructed so as to transfer a component of the horizontal force of impact through this thrust member to the rigid support. Another component of the horizontal thrust then may be carried through the resilient means to the apex of the truss. In some cases it is desirable to provide a brace connected between the apex of the truss and a suitable point on the horizontally extending thrust member to provide a more rigid structure. The horizontally extending thrust member itself, or this thrust member and the brace, may constitute a frame which is connected to the truss and serves to transmit forces to the truss, in large part to the apex of the truss and in part through the thrust member directly to the upright member or the rigid support adjacent the point of connection at the end of the downwardly inclined truss member to the upright member or to the support.

It is a further feature of the invention in the preferred embodiment thereof that an inclined member is provided which is connected to the truss adjacent the common point and extends upwardly and outwardly with respect to this common point. Adjacent the outer end of this inclined member the resilient means which may be in the form of a generally upright elongated spring element is connected. The lower end of this spring element may be connected at a point adjacent the outer end of the horizontally extending thrust member.

This elongated spring element may be of different forms which resist bending but preferably is in the form of a leaf spring which is bowed outwardly proceeding in the direction away from the rigid support toward the common point of connection of the inclined truss members. The leaf spring of this form may be flexed under the force brought generally horizontally upon the impact receiving means by the charge of the trainee directed toward the upright member or support, this force tending to flatten the leaf spring against the bias thereof. The spring reaches a flattened position or even an oppositely bowed position from which when released it returns under its bias but against which the trainee may continue to press so as to develop strength without being thrown back dangerously.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention also the inclined member above mentioned may be in the form of an elongated spring element, preferably a leaf spring, secured in cantilever relation to the truss. This spring element may be in general alignment with the truss member which is downwardly inclined from the common point toward the rigid support. The upper end of this cantilever leaf spring is connected in pivotal relation to the upper end of the upright leaf spring. In a further embodiment also the outer portion of the horizontally extending thrust member above mentioned may be provided by an elongated spring element preferably secured to the thrust member in cantilever relation thereto and pivotally connected at its outer and to the lower end of the vertically extending leaf spring.

As the apparatus of the invention is held fixed with respect to the ground or floor, the full measure of the trainees effort can be gauged by the meter and the course lines can be laid out to secure an effective pattern for practice as desired by the coach Who is not required to move around in order to teach the trainees the essential stance, movements and other maneuvers.

As will be described in more detail in connection with the drawings, some of the members of the structure are pivotally supported in relation to the upright member or the rigid support and at certain of the points of connection of the members removable connecting means are provided, so that the members, or sections of the structure, may be moved to collapsed position against the upright member or the rigid support.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from the description of the drawings to follow in which:

FIG. 1 shows in elevation an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view looking from above in FIG. 2 with certain parts broken away or removed;

FIG. 4 shows the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3 in collapsed condition;

FIG. 5 shows in perspective another modification of the invention embodying features of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the impact receiving means of FIGS. 1 and 5 and its support;

FIG. 7 shows to enlarged scale the means shown in FIG. 5 for supporting a pad for engaging the forearm.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, which show the preferred form of the apparatus, a truss comprises an .upwardly inclined truss member 101 which in this embodiment is of channel section, connected by a pivot pin 103 to plates 105 which are secured as by welding to a downwardly inclined truss member 107 also of channel section which is connected at its lower end rigidly, as by welding, to a pivotal member 109 formed of two spaced parts pivoting on a shaft 110 passing through the pivotal member 109 and through bearings 111 spaced on shaft 110 and welded to a plate 113 which forms the base portion of an upright support member having a vertical plate 115. The abutting plates 113, 115 may be secured together as by welding and may be secured to a wall or other supporting structure by suitable fasteners passing through holes 117 provided in these plates.

I The upper end of the upwardly extending truss member 101 is connected by a pivot pin 119 to brackets 121 secured to and extending perpendicular to the front face of the vertical plate 115. The connection of the truss member 101 to the brackets 121 is such as to provide.

for pivotal movement of the truss member 101 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to a position hanging vertically from pin 119 upon removal of the pin 103. It will be apparent, upon such removal of the pin 103, that the remainder of the apparatus of FIG. 1 may be moved about the axis of the shaft 110 upon which the pivotal member 109 pivotally moves to a position in which the downwardly inclined truss member 107 of channel form extends generally Vertically along the upright plate 115.

In the position as shown in FIG. 1, however, a truss is provided by the members 101, 107 such that force brought upon the common point of connection of these truss members at the plates 105 above mentioned is transmitted through these truss members to the upright plate 115 at points that are spaced a substantial distance vertically, the level of the common point of connection at the apex of the truss being intermediate the levels of the respective points of connection of the upper member 101 to the brackets 121 and the lower member 107 to the plate 113 through the pivotal member 109, the bearings 111 and the shaft 110 extending therethrough.

In order to provide lateral rigidity of the apparatus, upon the shaft 110 carried by the lower plate 113 are pivotally supported pivotal members 123 spaced along the shaft with respect to the pivotal member 109. The pivotal members 123 are connected by tubular members 125 to an inverted channel section strut 127 extending outwardly from the plate 113, this strut at its inner end being welded to the lower side of the pivot piece 127a disposed on the shaft 110 between the two spaced parts of the pivotal member 109, so that pivotal movement of the strut 127 on the shaft 110 may take place relative to the truss member 107. The structure comprising tubular members 125 and the strut 127 and their pivotal members on shaft 110 thus connected serves to resist lateral flexure in the horizontal plane of the outwardly disposed portion of the strut member 127. Diagonal tubular memers 126 are connected between the truss member 107 and respective pivotal members 128 to provide lateral bracing for the truss member 107.

The strut 127 extends further outwardly beyond the points of connection of the tubular members 125 to an outer end at which brackets 131 are secured, as by welding, to the respective flanges of the strut 127. These brackets serve to support the lower end of the part of the apparatus which absorbs and resiliently resists the charge of the trainee and produces reaction against the charge as will be further described. The strut 127 in this embodiment is continuous between the pivot piece 1127a and the brackets 131 and transmits directly to the shaft 110 and the base plate 113 the component of the force which reaches the brackets 131.

The shaft 110 may be held against axial movement by collars 133 secured by suitable fasteners to the shaft at the ends thereof. In this embodiment diagonal braces 135 are provided extending from the upper end of the upright plate 115 to the respective outer ends of the base plate 113, the braces 135 being secured to the plates as by welding or other suitable fastening means.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 also is provided a vertical brace 141 which is pivotally connected by pin 143 at its upper end to the flanges of the inclined channel member 107 of the downwardly inclined truss memher. The brace 141 may be of such width that its end is disposed between the downwardly disposed flanges of the channel 107 and itself may be of channel section. The lower end of the brace 141 is disposed between bracket plates 145 which may be secured as by welding to the flanges of the horizontal strut 127 of channel section. The lower end of the brace 141 may be secured to the plates by a removable pin 147 passing through the plates and the flanges of the brace 1141. Upon removal of the pin 147 the brace 141 may assume a generally vertical position when the downwardly inclined truss member 107 is pivotally moved to a position against the Wall, the pin 103 having been removed to allow the up wardly extending member 101 to depend from the pivotal pin 119, as above mentioned.

The upper end portion of the downwardly inclined member 107 extends farther upwardly beyond the end of the common connection of the two truss members 101, 107. Against the back of the web of the truss member 107 at the upper side thereof is secured a cantilever spring element 151 by means of an upper plate 153 hearing on the upper face of the spring element 151 and a lower plate 155 bearing on the edges of the flanges of the channel 107, bolts 157 passing through the plates 153, 155 and through the web of the channel 107 and through the spring element 151 which in this embodiment is a flat leaf spring. Adjacent the outer and upper end of the cantilever spring 151 brackets 159 are secured to the spring 151 as by welding at the side edges of the spring so as to be in spaced relation to each other and to receive therebetween the upper end of an elongated upright leaf spring 161 of arcuate contour along its length connected at its upper end to the brackets 159 by pin 163. The spring 161 in its unstressed condition is bowed outwardly in the direction proceeding from the upright member or plate 115 toward the common point of connection of the truss members 101, 107. The lower end of the spring 161 is pivotally connected by removable pin 165 to the brackets 131 carried by the strut 127, this lower end of the spring being disposed between these brackets.

It will be understood that force directed upon the spring 161 toward the right in FIG. 1 adjacent the central portion of the spring will tend to flatten it from the arcuate form. In such flattening the distance between the pins 163, 165 will become slightly increased and a component of the force which reaches the pin 163 will produce a bending in the cantilever spring 151 clockwise with respect to the point of fastening at the plates 153, 155 to the downwardly inclined truss member 107. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 the strut member 127 is a fairly rigid member such that the outer portion thereof which is disposed in cantilever relation to the structure which includes the inner portion of strut 127, the tubular members 125 and the pivotal members 109, 123, together with the shaft 110 and the bearings 111 is prevented from sub stantial downward bending movement. The springs 151, 161 which are biased to their positions as shown in FIG. 1 cooperate, therefore, to resist movement of the central portion of the spring 161 produced by impact on the spring directed toward the right in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 an impact receiving means is secured upon the spring 161 at the central portion of the length thereof. This impact receiving means comprises a curvilinear member 171 of substantial width and of such vertical length as to insure that the shoulder of the trainee in charging generally horizontally against the apparatus will be engaged in the hollow of the curvilinear member. The lower and upper ends of this curvilinear member are flared somewhat toward the vertical so that the shoulder of the trainee may tend to be directed toward the horizontal center line of the member 171. The curvilinear member 171 is supported on the spring by means of a pair of plates 173, 175 secured by bolts or other fasteners 177 passing through the plates and through the central portion of the length of the spring 161. A central bolt 179 passes also through the center of the curvilinear member 171 to bind this member to the plates and upright spring 161. A plurality of laterally spaced bolts 179 may be used, if desired, to prevent sidewise tilting of the member 171.

In order to maintain the proper disposition of the curvilinear member 171 with respect to the spring and to transfer the impact to the spring, tubes 181 are secured as by welding to the back or convex face of the curvilinear member 171, as shown in FIG. 6. The tubes 181 are disposed in vertically spaced relation and are of such diameter as to engage the plate 175 at the forward face thereof 7 with the bolt 179 drawn tight, thereby securely holding the curvilinear member 171 in relation to the spring 161.

In order to provide means for engaging the forearm of the trainee, a frame 183 is provided which may have the form shown in FIG. 7 with horizontally extending portions which are inserted in the tubes 181, this frame 183 carrying a plate 185 which extends laterally of the curvilinear member 171, toward the observer in FIG. 1, to provide a flat surface upon which the padding (not shown) is carried, padding (not shown) also being secured upon the curvilinear member 171.

Upon removal of the pins 103, 147 and 165 the pivotal movements of the truss member 101 and the brace member 141, as well as pivotal movement of the spring 161 upon the pin 163, may take place and the truss member 107 may pivot clockwise in FIG. 1 upon the shaft 110 carried in the bearings 111, moving to the position shown in FIG. 4. The truss member 101 then will extend downwardly along the upright plate 115, the brace 141 will extend from the pin 143 generally along the truss member 107, and the strut 127 and the structure including the angularly disposed tubular members 125 may be pivoted clockwise to the position shown in FIG. 4. The spring 161 may take the position shown in FIG. 4 depending from the brackets 159. It will be apparent that the collapsed condition of the apparatus of FIG. 4 makes it possible to dispose the several members in the compact relation shown against the wall and removed from the floor so as to make the floor space available. Suitable means may be used for holding the apparatus in the collapsed position of FIG. 4 or this may be accomplished by inserting a pin 187 through the holes in the brackets 131 and through a hole 189 provided in the outer extension of the truss member 107. Removal of the pin 187 and reverse pivotal movements of the members which have been referred to and insertion of the pins 103, 147 and 165 place the apparatus in condition for immediate use. It will be seen from FIG. 4 that the curvilinear impact receiving member 171 becomes disposed in elevated out of the way position above the floor when the apparatus is collapsed.

FIG. 5 shows in perspective another embodiment of the invention which utilizes a number of the parts which are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, certain differences, however, being embodied in the apparatus of FIG. 5. Where like parts are utilized, the same reference numerals are applied in FIG. 5 as in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the upper end of the truss member 107 carries side facing plates 201 Which are disposed against the flanges of the channel member which constitutes the truss member 107. These plates have their lower edges disposed generally in the plane of the edges of the flanges of the member 107 .and engaging a bottom plate 203. At the upper side of the web of the channel member 107 a cantilever spring 151 is disposed similarly to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. A plate, not shown in FIG. 5, also may be disposed at this upper side through which and through the spring 151 and the web of the member 107 and the plate 203 bolts 205 may pass for drawing the plates into engagement with the spring 151 and the channel member 107. The side facing plates 201 may be welded along the edges thereof to the plate 203 as well as directly to the flanges of the inclined truss member 107. In some cases it may be unnecessary to provide the upper plate which has been referred to, the bolts 205 engaging the cantilever spring directly. It will be understood from this description that the cantilever spring 151 in the embodiment of FIG. 5 functions in the same manner as does the spring in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

As shown in FIG. 5 to the upper end of the cantilever spring 151 a U-shaped bracket 159 is secured as by Welding through the legs of which pin 163 passes in pivotal relation to the upper end of the upright leaf spring 161 bowed outwardly in the same manner as in FIG. 1. The

lower end of the leaf spring 161 is disposed between the legs of the U-shaped bracket 131 and engages the removable pin 165, in the same manner as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment the bracket 131 is secured as by welding upon the outer end of a third leaf spring 207. This leaf spring 207 is secured at its inner end to the strut member 127 by means of bolts 209 passing through the web of the strut 127 and through the leaf spring 207 and through a plate 211 at the under side of the leaf spring to hold the leaf spring in engagement with the edges of the flanges of the strut 127, the outer end portion of these flanges being cut away along their lower margins to receive the bight of the U-shaped bracket 145 secured to spring 207. Thus, the inner end of the leaf spring 207 is rigidly held with the strut 127 and the outer end thereof at the bracket 131 is free to move in flexure in cantilever relation to the strut 127.

When the impact of the charge of the trainee is brought upon the spring 161 in the same manner as described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3, the spring 161 flattens and the spring 151 bends upwardly, as described above. The spring 207 of FIG. 5 may act merely as an extension of the strut or, in some cases, it may be proportioned so as to bend somewhat either upwardly or downwardly depending upon the components of force which reach the spring 207 through the pin 165 and bracket 131. This provision of flexibility at the lower end of the upright leaf spring 161 takes care of the force of the charge which may be applied to the curvilinear member 171 at elevations other than the horizontal center line of this curvilinear member. The reaction of the spring 207, however, may be utilized so as to be added to the reactions of the springs 151, 161 to resist the impact of charge. The degree of such reaction of the spring 207 may be varied to suit different conditions by making the spring 207 of greater or less flexibility and of greater or less cantilever length.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, instead of the single truss member 101 of channel section, this truss member is constructed with two tubular members 213 which are connected as by welding adjacent their mid-length by a cross tube 215. At their lower ends these tubular members engage the outside surfaces of the respective plates 201 and are secured thereto by the removable pin 217. At the upper ends of the tubular members 213 these members are disposed between the lugs 219 which extend outwardly from the face of the upright plate 115 and which may be secured to this plate as by welding. A pin 221 (or separate pins extends through the lugs 219 and through the tubular members 213, so that the assembly of the tubes 213, 215 may pivotally move on the pin 221 to swing downwardly to the position parallel to the plate upon removal of the pin 217.

The apparatus of FIG. 5 provides also the brace 141, as in FIG. 1, connected by removable pin 147 to the bracket secured to the end of the spring 207. The upper end of the brace 141 is pivotally connected to the downwardly inclined truss member 107 by pin 143 passing through the plates 201 and the flanges of the truss member 107. It will be understood, upon removal of the pins 217, 147 and 165, that the truss member 107 and the cantilever spring 151 carried thereby may be moved upwardly to a position along the upright member 115, the brace 141 hanging from the pin 143. The strut 127 and the cantilever spring 207 carried thereby also may be pivotally moved upwardly to a position along the upright plate member 115. The spring 161 then will extend downwardly from the bracket 150, so that the collapsed condition of the apparatus of FIG. 5 will be similar to that shown in FIG. 4. To hold the members 107, 141, 161, 171 in this position the pin 217 may be reinserted through the holes in plates 201 and through holes in a bracket 230 secured as by welding to upright plate 115. Similar means (not shown) may be provided to hold the thrust member 127 and the spring 207 in the collapsed position of the apparatus.

In the embodiment of FIG. to the spring 161 are clamped by bolts 177 plates 173 and 175 disposed at the forward and rear sides of the spring, as in FIG. 1. The central bolt 179 passes through these plates and through the center of member 171 and the spring 161. In this embodiment also tubes 181 are welded to the convex side of the member 171 and engage the plate 175 when the bolt 179 is drawn tight to hold the member 171 firmly in place on the spring 161. To provide for disposing the impact means at the proper height above the ground when the apparatus is supported on different rigid support means, a plurality of holes 180 for the bolt 179 are vertically spaced on spring 161 so as to support the curvilinear member 171 at different positions on the spring and at different heights above the base plate.

In FIG. 7 is shown to enlarged scale means also shown in FIG. 5 for removably supporting the forearm engaging plate 185. To the base of the U-shaped frame 183 is welded a plate 185 similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, said frame having legs 231 insertable in the tubes 181, FIGS. 1 and 5. The frame may be made of a tube bent to the U-shape and provided with plugs 233 inserted in the respective ends of the legs 231 and welded thereto as shown in the broken away portion of the upper leg in FIG. 7. The plugs 233 are threaded for receiving thumb screws 235. The thumb screws bear on washers 237 which. are of larger. diameter than the legs 231 so as to bear on the ends of the tubes 181 when the frame is inserted in these tubes. The thumb screws 235 are shown at the left in FIG. 5 At the right hand end of the tubes 181 pins 239 extend through and are fixed in the legs and engage the opposite ends of the tubes 181. It will be understood that, upon removal of the thumb screws from the plugs together with the washers 237, the legs 231 of the frame may be inserted in the tubes at either the left hand or the right hand of the apparatus viewed as in FIG. 5, so as to dispose the forearm engaging plate 1'85 at either the left hand or the right hand. When the frame is in place the thumb screws 235 may be reinserted so as to bring the washers 237 and the pins 239 against the tube 181 to hold the frame in place.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as well as in FIG. 5, to resist downwardly directed force which may develop at points along the horizontally extending strut 127 due to the force of the impact being transmitted through the spring to the truss as well as directly to the strut 127, an adjustable prop 24-1 may be provided. In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 5 this prop is disposed adjacent the junction of the brace 141 with the horizontal strut 127. It may be fastened upon the strut 127 by a nut 243 secured as by welding to the under side of the strut. A threaded stud 245 engages the nut so that greater or less length of the stud may extend from the nut to the ground as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. With this arrangement the prop 241 will be lifted with the strut 127 to the position shown in FIG. 4 when the apparatus is in the collapsed condition.

As shown in FIG. 1 a metering device is provided which in this embodiment may include a tubular member 251 secured by suitable means to the upwardly extending portion of the truss member 107 at one side thereof. This tubular meter member is of substantial horizontal length. A rod 253 is received within the tubular member 251 in sliding relation thereto, the end of the rod bearing against but not being connected to the spring 161 so that the rod may be pushed inwardly in the tubular member 251 when the spring 161 moves to its flattened position. The rod 253 may engage the tubular member 251 with suflicient friction so that the rod 253 will remain in the position to which it is moved after rebound of the spring 161. By means of a scale marked on the rod 253 and registering against the end of the tubular member 251 or other marker, the amount of movement of the rod may be indicated and this indicated amount may be taken as a measure of the impact of the trainee. This metering device may be so 1@ designed and may so cooperate with the springs, however, that it may be calibrated to measure precisely the force of the impact. Alternatively the scale may be fixed to the tubular member 251, or to a fixed member such as the truss member 107, so that the end of the rod 253, or a marker thereon, may move over the scale.

As shown in FIG. 5 the lower flared portion of the impact member 171 is made shorter relative to the crown of the arcuate portion as compared with the length of the upwardly flaring portion. While a symmetrical curvilinear member may be used, if desired, for the impact receiving means 171, as shown in FIG. 1, for ordinary use the lower flared portion is not necessary when the device is mounted with the crown at the proper height above ground so that the trainee may charge against the crown portion with a slight upward movement as referred to above. Having regard to the curvilinear and flared form of the impact member 171, the contour of the padding on the member 171 and .on the plate 185, which must be of substantial thickness and secured in place by a strong covering, simulates the contour of an opponent somewhat bent over in the opposing line. The desired lowness of the crown portion of the impact means may be secured by disposing the curvilinear member 171 at the proper height by means of holes as above described.

It will be understood, although only two main embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings with certain variations in the elements of the structure in these embodiments, that other variations may be made within the scope of the invention while providing a truss which transfers the force of the impact to the upright member or the rigid support at points that are spaced a substantial distance vertically, the common point or apex of the truss being disposed between the levels of these points, resilient means such as springs being supported outwardly of the apex of the truss and transmitting the impact to the truss from the impact receiving means, the connections between the springs and the truss being such that the forces are transmitted in large part to the apex of the truss but also may be transmitted to the upright member or the rigid support adjacent the lower of the two vertically spaced points thereon by a thrust member.

The components of the force of impact which are transmitted through the lower end of the spring 161 as well as through the downwardly extending truss member 107 serve to apply a substantial part of the force to the rigid support at a point that is adjacent the ground or the floor and thereby to apply the force at the point where the rigid support itself is securely supported and highly resistant to the applied force. The other component of the applied force which acts upwardly through the upwardly inclined truss member is resisted not only at the upper end of the upright member or the upper portion of the rigid support but also by the brace connected between the common point or apex of the truss and the horizontal strut member. It will be apparent that a very strong rigid though collapsible structure is secured in the apparatus of the invention.

The resiliency of the springs produces the desired reaction against the impact of the charge of the trainee and the force of this charge may be measured as above described. The apparatus, therefore, may be of service both for training the players of the squad in season as well as for individual practice for development and for all-year-round conditioning. The character of the device is such as to develop skills not only for contact sports, such as football or the like, but also to provide good training and exercise for general sport activity.

Variations may be made from the particular embodiments disclosed in the drawings and described, both in the structural details and in the forms of the springs and other members utilized, while providing the truss structure which has been described, particularly a truss utilizing structure which serves the purposes described and is l1 collapsible. All such variations are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Training apparatus comprising a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from ends disposed adjacent a common point, removable means con necting said ends of said truss members together, means pivotally connecting the other ends of said truss members to said rigid support respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart, said connecting means cooperating to secure said truss members against relative movement so that said truss members form a rigid truss with said rigid support, an elongated upright leaf spring disposed outwardly with respect to said comm-n point in the direction from said rigid support toward said common point and bowed in unstressed condition outwardly to convex outline, a frame pivotally connected to said truss and removably connected to the lower end of said leaf spring for supporting said lower end of said leaf spring outwardly with respect to said common point, an inclined member connected to said truss adjacent said common point and extending upwardly and outwardly with respect to said common point, means pivotally connecting said inclined member adjacent its outer end to the upper end of said leaf spring, said leaf spring being supported for flexure thereof between its ends against its bias under force applied in the direction to flatten the bow thereof, and impact receiving means carried by said leaf spring and adapted to be charged by a trainee for effecting flattening of said spring against the bias thereof.

2. Training apparatus comprising an upright member adapted to be attached to a rigid structure to provide a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from ends adjacent a common point, removable means connecting said ends of said truss members together, means pivotally connecting the other ends of said truss members to said upright member respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart on said upright member, said connecting means cooperating to secure said truss members against relative movement so that said truss members form a rigid truss with said upright member, a frame member extending generally horizontally outwardly from said upright member, means connecting said frame member adjacent an end thereof to said upright member adjacent said lower point of connection of said lower truss member to said upright member for pivotal movement of said frame member relative to said upright member, an inclined member connected to said truss adjacent said common point and extending upwardly and outwardly from said common point, the upper outer end of said inclined member being disposed generally vertically above the outer end of said frame member, an elongated leaf spring extending generally vertically and removably connected at its lower end to said frame member adjacent its outer end and pivotally connected at its upper end to said inclined member adjacent said outer end of said inclined member, said leaf spring being bowed outwardly in the direction from said upright member toward said spring and adapted to resist flattening thereof under force applied thereto directed inwardly toward said upright member, and impact receiving means carried by said leaf spring and adapted to be charged by a trainee for effecting flattening of said spring against the bias thereof.

3. Training apparatus as defined in claim 2 which comprises a brace, removable means for rigidly connecting said brace to said frame member at a point on said frame member between said pivot thereof and the outer end thereof, said brace extending to said truss members adjacent said common point, and means securing said brace to said truss members adjacent said common point against 12 r endwise movement while providing for pivotal movement of said brace relative to said truss.

4. Training apparatus as defined in claim 2 which comprises a foot member carried by said frame member at a point outwardly disposed from said upright member and adapted to engage the floor or ground for supporting said frame member adjacent said point.

5. Training apparatus as defined in claim 1 which comprises a meter for measuring the impact of the trainee on said impact receiving means, said meter having a body supported in fixed relation to said truss, a meter member supported by said body for movement relative to said body, the outer end of said meter member being disposable in bearing relation to and separable from said upright leaf spring so as to be moved relative to said body upon flattening of said leaf spring under the impact of the trainee, said meter member being frictionally held in said body in the position to which it is moved and means associated with said meter member for indicating the movement of said meter member to measure the impact.

6. Training apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said body provides an elongated generally horizontally extending channel, said meter member providing a slide member disposed in said channel in sliding relation to said body for movement of said slide member along said channel.

7. Training apparatus comprising an upright member adapted to be attached to a rigid structure to provide a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from ends disposed adjacent a common point, means connecting said ends of said truss members together, means connecting the other ends of said truss members to said upright member respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart on said upright member, said connecting means cooperating to secure said truss members against relative movement so that said truss members form a rigid truss with said upright member, an elongated upright leaf spring disposed outwardly with respect to said common point in the direction from said upright member toward said common point and bowed in unstressed condition outwardly to convex outline, a frame connected to said truss and connected to the lower end of said leaf spring for supporting said lower end of said leaf spring outwardly with respect to said common point, an inclined member provided by an elongated spring element secured at one end to said truss adjacent said common point and extending in cantilever relation to said truss upwardly and outwardly with respect to said common point, means connecting said inclined member adjacent its outer end to the upper end of said leaf spring for supporting said upper end of said leaf spring, said leaf spring being supported for flexure thereof between its ends against its bias under force applied in the direction to flatten the bow thereof, and impact receiving means carried by said leaf spring and adapted to be charged by a trainee for effecting flattening of said spring against the bias thereof.

8. Training apparatus comprising an upright member adapted to be attached to a rigid structure to provide a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from ends disposed adjacent a common point, means connecting said ends of said truss members together, means connecting the other ends of said truss members to said upright member respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart on said upright member, said connecting means cooperating to secure said truss members against relative movement so that said truss members form a rigid truss with said upright mem ber, an elongated upright leaf spring disposed outwardly with respect to said common point in the direction from said upright member toward said common point and bowed in unstressed condition outwardly to convex outline, a frame member connected to said upright member adjacent the lower point of connection of said truss members to said upright member and extending generally horizontally outwardly from said upright member, an elongated spring element secured adjacent one end thereof to said frame member adjacent the outer end thereof and extending outwardly in cantilever relation thereto generally horizontally in the direction from said upright member toward said leaf spring and connected adjacent its outer end to the lower end of said leaf spring for supporting the lower end of said leaf spring, an inclined member connected to said truss adjacent said common point and extending upwardly and outwardly with respect to said common point, means connecting said inclined member adjacent its outer end to the upper end of said leaf spring, said frame member and said inclined member and said spring element supporting said leaf spring so that said leaf spring under its bias resists force transmitted thereto directed generally horizontally toward said upright member concomitantly with flattening of said spring, said force being transmitted by said spring element and said frame member and by said inclined member to said truss and to said upright member, and impact receiving means carried by said leaf spring outwardly thereof and adapted to be charged by a trainee so as to apply force to said leaf spring generally horizontally for effecting flattening of said spring against the bias thereof.

9. Training apparatus comprising a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid .truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from a common point, removable means connecting said truss members together at said common point, means pivotally connecting the free ends of said truss members to said rigid support respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart, said connecting means cooperating to secure said truss members against relative movement so that said truss members form a rigid truss with said rigid support, an elongated upright leaf spring disposed outwardly with respect to said common point in the direction from said rigid support toward said common point and bowed in unstressed condition outwardly to a convexed outline, a frame pivotally mounted to said truss and removably connected to the lower end of said leaf spring for supporting said lower end of said leaf spring outwardly with respect said common point, an inclined member extending upwardly and outwardly from said common point, means pivotally connecting said inclined member adjacent its outer end to the upper end of said leaf spring, said leaf spring being supported for flexure thereof between its ends against its bias under force applied in the direction to flatten the bow thereof, and impact receiving means carried by said leaf spring and adapted to be charged by a trainee for effecting flattening of said spring against the bias thereof.

10. Training apparatus comprising a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from a common point, means pivotally connecting the spaced ends of said truss members to said rigid support respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart, removable means securing said truss members against movement relative to each other and relative to said rigid support, whereby said truss members form a rigid truss with said rigid support, an elongated upright leaf spring disposed outwardly with respect to said common point in the direction from said rigid support toward said common point and bowed in unstressed condition outwardly to a convexed outline, a frame connected at one end to said truss at a point adjacent the lower end of the downwardly inclined truss member and pivotally connected at its other end to the lower end of said leaf spring for supporting said lower end of said leaf spring outwardly with respect to said common point, an inclined member extending upwardly and outwardly from said common point, means pivotally connecting said inclined member adjacent its outer end to the upper end of said leaf spring, said leaf spring being supported for flexure thereof between its ends against its bias under force applied in the direction to flatten the bow thereof, and impact receiving means carried by said leaf spring and adapted to be charged by a trainee for effecting flattening of said spring against the bias thereof, said apparatus being so constructed and arranged that upon removal of said means securing said truss members against movement said members can be pivoted about said pivotal connections to inoperative positions adjacent said rigid support.

11. Training apparatus comprising a rigid support secured against movement relative to the ground, two rigid truss members extending in inclined relation to the vertical respectively upwardly and downwardly from ends disposed adjacent a common point, removable means connecting said ends of said truss members together, means pivotally connecting the other ends of said truss members to said rigid support respectively at points vertically spaced a substantial distance apart, said connecting means cooperating to secure said truss members against relative movement so that said truss members form a rigid truss with said rigid support, impact receiving means adapted to be charged by a trainee, a frame pivotally connected to said support adjacent the lower of said points of connection of said truss members to said support, means connected to said frame and to said impact receiving means for supporting said impact receiving means on said frame in a position disposed outwardly from said common point with respect to said rigid support and for generally horizontal movement of said impact receiving means toward and away from said support, and a spring connected to said means supporting said impact receiving means and to said truss, said supporting means being effective when said impact receiving means is charged and moved toward said support to transmit a portion of the impact received by said impact receiving means to said frame, said spring being then effective to transmit resiliently a portion of said impact to said truss.

References Cited by the Examiner DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

10. TRAINING APPARATUS COMPRISING A RIGID SUPPORT SECURED AGAINST MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE GROUND, TWO RIGID TRUSS MEMBERS EXTENDING IN INCLINED RELATION TO THE VERTICAL RESPECTIVELY UPWARLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM A COMMON POINT, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SPACED ENDS OF SAID TRUSS MEMBERS TO SAID RIGID SUPPORT REPECTIVELY AT POINTS VERTICALLY SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE APART, REMOVABLE MEANS SECURING SAID TRUSS MEMBERS AGAINST MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND RELATIVE TO SAID RIGID SUPPORT, WHEREBY SAID TURSS MEMBERS FROM A RIGID TRUSS WITH SAID RIGID SUPPORT, AN ELONGATED UPRIGHT LEAF SPRING DISPOSED OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID COMMON POINT IN THE DIRECTION FROM SAID RIGID SUPPORT TOWARD SAID COMMON POINT AND BOWED IN UNSTRESSED CONDITION OUTWARDLY TO A CONVEXED OUTLINE, A FRAME CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID TRUSS AT A POINT ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF THE DOWNWARDLY INCLINED TRUSS MEMBER AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS OTHER END TO THE LOWER END OF SAID LEAD SPRING FOR SUPPORTING SAID LOWER END OF SAID LEAF SPRING OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID COMMON POINT, AN INCLINED MEMBER EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID COMMON POINT, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID INCLINED MEMBER ADJACENT ITS OUTER END TO THE UPPER END OF SAID LEAF SPRING, SAID LEAF SPRING BEING SUPPORTED FOR FLEXURE THEREOF BETWEEN ITS ENDS AGAINST ITS BIAS UNDER FORCE APPLIED IN THE DIRECTION TO FLATTEN THE BOW THEREOF, AND IMPACT RECEIVING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LEAF SPRING AND ADAPTED TO BE CHARGED BY A TRAINEE FOR EFFECTING FLATTENING OF SAID SPRING AGIANST THE BIAS THEREOF, SAID APPARATUS BEING SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT UPON REMOVAL OF SAID MEANS SECURING AND TRUSS MEMBERS AGAINST MOVEMENT SAID MEMBERS CAN BE PIVOTED ABOUT SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS TO INOPERATIVE POSITIONS ADJACENT SAID RIGID SUPPORT. 